This short course Quantitative Methods for Qualitative Researchers will be running over two sessions to introduce attendees to logic and key principles of quantitative methods. It does not assume any prior knowledge of quantitative methods, but it does assume that participants will have a social science background, possibly in qualitative methods. The course will introduce participants to the key principles of research design, survey design and the formulation of simple questionnaires, including basic scaling. Attendees will also be introduced to basic probability and non-probability sampling and data visualisation.
Speakers:
Dr. Charlotte Brookfield, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University
Prof. Malcolm Williams, Professor, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University
The workshop is co-hosted by Prof. Malcolm Williams and Dr. Charlotte Brookfield.
Date & Time:
29 June 2023, Thursday (3:30 PM - 5:00 PM)
Venue:
Online via Zoom
Bio of the speakers:
Dr. Charlotte Brookfield is a senior lecturer of Social Sciences. Her research interests are informed by the 'crisis' of number in social sciences and initiatives aimed at engaging social science students with quantitative approaches. Specifically, her recent research has focussed on the place of quantitative research in sociology.
In October 2020, she was appointed to the role of Co-Director of the Cardiff Q-Step Centre of Excellence in Quantitative Methods Teaching. The Cardiff centre is one of 15 centres based in UK higher education institutions exploring innovative and new approaches to engaging social science students with quantitative research methods. As the Co-Director for the Cardiff Centre, she represents the University at networking events, evaluate the effectiveness of the School’s quantitative methods training provision, lead on our outreach and widening participation activities and liaise with external stakeholders including local organisations who can host placement students.
She is also the Co-Director for Engagement and Student Voice for the School of Social Sciences. This role involves developing new initiatives to enhance the student experience, monitoring student satisfaction performance metrics and supporting student representation systems.
Malcolm Williams is a Professor in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, where with Charlotte Brookfield he leads the Cardiff Q-Step Centre. He is an Honorary Professor in the Institute of Cornish Studies at Exeter University and a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences.
His research interests include the pedagogy of quantitative methods, methodological and philosophical issues in the social sciences, particularly realism, objectivity, probability and complexity. He has conducted empirical research in housing, household formation and dissolution and counter urban migration.
